Dog Tries to Protect me from Visitors??!!

[ahkelteke]

My one-year-old lab has recently begun to act protective of me. When a visitor enters either my apartment or my boyfriend of two years' home, she will growl, bark, or take a protective stance. She is not vicious by any means and has never threatened to bite, nip, or harm anyone. The behavior, I feel, is uncouth and scares visitors. After a few moments she usually calms down and will let the person approach, pet her, and make over her. She does this to men, women, children, adults, and even my boyfriend's roomie, whom she has known since she was 8 wks old. The roomie is an easy-going guy and has never once done anything that would warrant this behavior.

Just yesterday, she even tried to protect our pet sitter -- the younger sister of the roomie -- from the roomie who was playfully hugging her. My dog jumped off the couch and let out a bark as if to say, "Leave her alone." To my knowledge, myself and the pet sitter are the only people she has tried to protect.

I am aware of pack psychology and, to my knowledge, I have established myself as dominant over my dog. She responds to all of my commands. I do not fuss over her, but show my love by taking her on daily walks or outings to the dog park. She does seem to suffer from very minor seperation anxiety, but we are working through that. Nothing has changed recently in our lives or routine.

Any thoughts of what is causing this sudden urge to protect and how I might stop the behavior? She has always been a very amiable, happy-go-lucky dog, good with people and other animals. She is an absolute star at the doggie daycare and local dog park. Any thoughts would be wonderful!

 

[Romy]

When you say that you established yourself as dominant, what do you mean by that? How did you do so?

 

[RedyreRottweilers]

Step one, prevent the behavior. Put the dog in another room, or preferably a crate, when visitors arrive. What sort of training has the dog been through?

 

[ahkelteke]

By establishing myself as dominant, I mean that I decide when things happen: meals, walks, outings, etc. I do not allow her to dictate my schedule. I have completed a positive reinforcement training course with her and she responds to all my commands. I approach her confidently and with power. I am not a push-over. I do not use physical force or punishment to achieve desired behaviors. She responds very well to my vocal tones.

 

[AGonzalez]

May I suggest that you check out my thread of "Let's Define Aggression" as I'm working with some of the same problems and there's some good and helpful nice information there.

 

[Debi]

so...she calms down and let's people pet her after realizing they aren't a threat?? and you hate that.......why? I LOVE that my dogs react immediately to anyone on the property that doesn't belong. they look like killers......BUT when they know I'm ok with them, they are, too. training? not for me. it is exactly what I want from them. I must miss a lot of what people consider a 'problem' in behavior.

 

[Doberluv]

By establishing myself as dominant, I mean that I decide when things happen: meals, walks, outings, etc. I do not allow her to dictate my schedule.

When a friend of yours calls you up and invites you for a game of tennis and lunch afterward, do you refuse? Do you only do things with your friends if you're the one to do all the inviting?

I guess we see things a lot differently. There's a lot of evidence that suggests strongly that dogs are not true pack animals at all...social but without a linear hierarchy. My dogs can ask me to go outside to play, tell me they're hungry and if I'm not too busy otherwise and feel like playing, I'll rise to the occassion.

And I don't have any behavior problems to speak of...definitely no problems with other people. The dogs invite my friends too for a game of cards or appetizers. No animosity there.

Don't get me wrong. I think teaching deferential behavior is a great thing. Controlling resources is the way to being a good leader or guide to our dogs and our children for that matter. But I also think if carried to the extreme, it can cause some stress in some dogs. I have my dogs look to me for many of their resources, but I am not opposed to their asking me for something sometimes too. I do not consider their asking me for something as dictating or dominance. It's just a natural interaction between two different species.

It's pretty rarely ever that the dog is protecting anyone but themselves. That's something humans love to think about their dogs. It's usually an insecurity or a possessive/resource type thing. It doesn't really matter what the reason. Your dog needs to find out that other people are great to have around.

Here's an idea for you: Once one visitor is settled in, have the visitor feed or drop super tasty treats for her, tiny treats, one after the other for several seconds. Then remove the dog to another room for 30 seconds with no treats, no attention, nothing...very boring. Bring her back in the presence of the visitor and feed. If she gets snarky or behaves in a way you don't like, take her by the leash and remove her immediately, matter of fact, but not punishingly. Try again in 30 seconds. Set up practice situations with just one person at a time at first. Once she gets onto the idea that good things happen in the presence of visitors AND contingent on her own behavior, start varying things; different visitors, different locations in the apartment, different contexts where people aren't always doing the same thing.

When a visitor enters either my apartment or my boyfriend of two years' home, she will growl, bark, or take a protective stance. She is not vicious by any means and has never threatened to bite, nip, or harm anyone

Growling IS a threat to bite....a warning. Be sure and not punish the growl, but be aware that it most certainly is a pre-cursor to a potential bite. It is good that she is warning. That way everyone is on their toes.

I agree that if she is taking a forward, staunch stance and growling that she should be removed from the door when people first arrive. Keep her on a leash or in a back room. Show her that you will handle it just fine thank you very much. It is infinitely better to prevent her from getting worked up in the first place. Then try your desensatizing that I described. Keep some distance between her and the friend in order to try and prevent her from getting too anxious and reacting that way. That's when you want to reinforce her a lot.....before she gets a chance to get all scary. The second they come in, (tell them, "come in" and stay back with your dog on a leash) (if staying back is good enough to keep her calmer) they should start tossing treats to your dog regardless of her behavior. Associate FRIENDLY people who you accept into your home in a friendly manner with high value reinforcers. If that isn't enough to calm her down and keep her from getting all threatening, I think you should get a behaviorist to help you.

so...she calms down and let's people pet her after realizing they aren't a threat?? and you hate that.......why? I LOVE that my dogs react immediately to anyone on the property that doesn't belong. they look like killers......BUT when they know I'm ok with them, they are, too. training? not for me. it is exactly what I want from them. I must miss a lot of what people consider a 'problem' in behavior.

Debi, the friends have already entered her apartment. They're not still out on the porch or in a yard. She has already smiled at them, spoken in a friendly way to her friends and her dog is threatening them. The dog somehow missed the chapter about If my owner is comfortable with and invites someone in the house, then they're safe. Any friend of my mom's is a friend of mine. My Doberman would bark if someone knocked on the door. The second I opened the door, (I could see him glancing at me out of the corner of my eye) and if I was friendly to the person, Lyric was completely gentlemanly....even if it were a stranger....a salesperson. If I were nervous and uncomfortable with someone, he would not relax. He'd reeeeeelly watch.

 

[germanshepardguy]

my german shepards do that